Does My Child’s 504 Plan Have to Be Reviewed at the Beginning of Each School Year?

Does my child’s 504 plan have to be revisited at the beginning of each school year? Is there a legal requirement to review it annually? No, unlike with IEPs, there’s no legal requirement to review a 504 plan each year. But it’s a good idea to have an annual 504 plan review meeting anyway. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a situation where you wouldn’t want to revisit the plan at the start of the year. The new school year … read more

Back To School Tips That Work

Build Alliances The old saying, “There is strength in numbers,” is still true today. If challenges arise during the school year, it is helpful to know you have others you can turn to. Now is the time to nurture alliances with teachers, support staff, parents, students and others who impact you and your child. Call or send a thank you note to those who provided “bright spots” during the previous year. Mention how you appreciated their involvement and how you … read more

Talking to Your Child About Social and Emotional Issues

When your child struggles with social and emotional issues, it can be a challenge to talk to him about the issues he faces. Avoiding the subject isn’t helpful. But helping your child put it in perspective is. The goal is to let your child see himself as someone who struggles with specific things—not with everything. The first step is to isolate his area of difficulty and name it. This will give him a sense of control over his situation. Use … read more

How Do I Get My Child’s IEP Going at the Beginning of the School Year?

My daughter got her first IEP last spring when she was a fifth grader. She started attending middle school this fall and it seems to be taking a long time for the school to line up some of her service providers. Is there anything I can do to help get her IEP going at the beginning of the school year? Unfortunately, this problem is not uncommon. Schools often have to deal with faculty and staff leaving and new faculty and … read more